jmathai

So, I live about 200 yards from a local bike shop. I was pretty stoked about this but after going there a few times...I find myself going to walmart for tubes or buying things online. Why do I say they suck?

#1
Well, I have a steamroller with a chris king headset. My wife bought me some fenders (along with other things) which don't really fit (because of the headset). So I walk over there and ask show them the problem and ask if they know of anything I can do. They didn't seem at all interested in helping but did mention that they could machine one of the pieces to try and make it fit...but that it would cost $40 or something.

#2
My cousin came in from out of town and we went for a ride. He had no bike shoes so we went there and purchased a pair of platform pedals (the cheap kind). When I asked if I could borrow a pedal wrench to swap them out...the response I got was..."well, that's against our policy...but let me check". They did let me use it but wth...it's a wrench and i'm in your store once a month.

#3
I wanted to replace my front quickrelease with something that has bolts (or similar) on both sides. I know that QR axels are different than the other kind...but I also know there are several options which do not require replacing the axel. The guy says I'd have to replace the axel...and i didn't really persue the conversation any further. I guess I expect someone that works at a bike shop to know more than me (I really don't know much).

Am I crazy?

jgedwa

I have had more than my share of experiences with lousy LBS's but two out of three of your complaints seem strange:

1. I don't follow this at all. How is a headset in any way related to fitting fenders?
2. Seems reasonable for them to have a policy against giving away their business model. Also seems reasonable of them to break it for someone. Which they did.
3. Okay, they should know about theft-resistant QR replacements. That is not too exotic.

jim

triplesixer

burn it down

Jabba Degrassi

Burn down the house or make flippy flop. Either way you'll have the little creatures talking about the psycho killer for years to come.

fivehoursfree

#1: Seems like they did try to help my saying they could machine the fenders. i wouldn't expect them to help with this too much unless you bought them from that shop, in which case it's their fault for selling you fenders that don't fit.

#2 seems weird. Did you have the bike with you? Most places would have installed the pedals for you if you bought them there. I know many places are hesitant to let their tools out of the shop, or even across the counter. I asked a place to use a chain tool. They said no, but told me to bring it in, and fixed my chain for free instead.

#3: Yea, if the guy said replace the axel thats wrong. I'm guessing you are thinking of these bolt on skewers: https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...t%3A%20Skewers

SaveTheRock

The owner of the LBS next to me follows me around like I'm a thief cause I don't wear expensive clothes and have a beard. At first I figured "hey they're just being safe". But then every time I come in there they follow me, and as I pick something up they hit me with the "can I help you". I'm talking 3-5 concurent times a visit till I leave. What sucks is they have a great stock of good shiz. I have actually stood outside while my girl went in to get something cause I hate their judgemental attitudes.

The first time I asked about purchasing a 2008 TK2 frameset, all they would tell me is that it was expensive and only for track riding. They actually wouldn't even give me the price. They just kept saying we sell it for MSRP, and went on to sell a langster to some bro with a poped collar.

The messed up thing is that my Architectual Firm is the one designing their new bike shop downtown (Its in a boutique hotel whose first floor is all nice shops). I probably make 3 times more than this joker, but because im not an old rodie coming in for a lemond I'm just some punk kid dreamer. Screw them.

BoSoxYacht

your LBS sucks. Find a new one(maybe one that needs customers).

uke

I'd have stopped supporting that store after the first visit. Life's too short to put up with that stuff.

SaveTheRock

I go to this BMX shop now. Its a bit farther of a ride, but the guys there are nice and let me use their tools whenever. I will actually pay more for a part to order it through them rather then online sometimes just cause they're cool and I want to support their shop. The ritsy place is just nice cause they stock EVERYTHING. and thats nice in an emergency. I have to order just about everything in the other shop.

SaveTheRock

They do good cause I live around a lot of rich rodies that spend tons on their gear and maintaining it. The kinda rodies who don't like grease.

jmathai

So..

#1: I guess I can see their offer to machine part of the fender holder to get it to fit is sufficient. I'll give them this one. I'll have to post a pic of how the headset interferes with the fender...I'd like to know how to get around that before rainy season.
#2: I did have the bike and they did install it. But it was annoying that he said that he had "to check".

Will post pics of headset/fender issue (maybe in it's own thread)

NorthWestDork

I will never shop again at one of my LBS's. I walked in wanting to buy a Bianchi Pista and the guy pretty much refused to sell me one. "Thats not what you want, you want this (points to Bianchi Fremont)." He wouldnt even check the computer to see if they had my size in stock. "You really shouldnt be riding that on the street"

Its been almost two years and I havent stepped foot in there since.

estabro

^^ amazing.

BoSoxYacht

What are "rodies"?

jgedwa

I don't want to derail, but I have to ask again: how does a headset interfere with a fender?

jim

Adam G.

That is terrible, really. I can't tell you how many times that has happened to me, even if I go in just to browse, bike shops have it all wrong now.

jobe149

the town i grew up in never had a bike shop but when i moved back this past april one had jsut opened up! Ive only been here 5 months and im leaving in a week but I pretty much live there now. Ii brought him some business and after that i went in there to buy a chain and he just said "you know where the tools are." today i built an early 90s Dyno from frame up that was sitting in the back room for 12 bucks.

The bike shop in the last town I lived in would charge me 2 bucks just for those nipple things for the ends of brake cables

bradenCBC

1. Anything involving powertools or other other machining is usually a pain in the ass and tends to use up blades/bits so yeah, I charge more to do it because it actually costs to use those tools whereas a pedal wrench pays for itself pretty quick.

2. I don't loan out tools. I sell tools and service. That's how I pay my rent and put food on my table. Don't take it personally. A book store and a library are not the same thing. I have tons of respect for places that do loan tools, teach classes, deal in used parts... but that model won't fly with the overhead I have to deal with.

3. Yeah... that's pretty boneheaded.

Brvn

2 isnt really the same because the guy BOUGHT the pedals there. You refuse to install something as simple as pedals for someone? I would not shop at your store.

novacane

if your lbs sucks, that's when you learn how to work on your bike yourself

sneaky viking

I actually respect a shop that wouldn't sell you a Pista.

I tried to talk a girl out of buying a Pista once, as a salesperson. She even said she hadn't ridden a bike in 10 years and would probably never ride it, but wanted the shiny one. She ended up buying it.

As far as not loaning you a tool... maybe the guy had only been working there a week or two. He knew the policy, but not the real world application. That's not really something that someone with a couple years experience in a shop would say. Give 'em the benefit of the doubt.

And installing fenders that had been purchased elsewhere? Even installing any fenders on a not-brand-new bike is a PITA and should be charged for, regardless of if they were bought there. $40 seems excessive tho.

Edit: Does Walmart even sell presta tubes?!

Find a better LBS that you would at least trust to do facing/ headset install/ thread chasing/ anything else you wouldn't buy the tools for. Just ask if they could do those things. And gauge their response. And slowly start to build a relationship. Maybe buy a tube. Establish some trust on both sides, so loaning a pedal wrench to some random dude off the street isn't an issue anymore.

Thetank

I don't think his issue was that they were charging him for the labor to fit his fenders but rather that they only offered one solution to something that could be fixed without cutting into the fenders. Also $40 to drill a hole? C'mon!

I understand your point on not loaning tools but if its something as simple as a pedal wrench to a customer who just bought a set of pedals from you, and needs to put them on right then what is the harm on letting him use it? I want to believe that your rent isn't covered by installing pedals but by higher end installs and maintenance most people are too overwhelmed to do themselves. I hope you're not the kind of bike shop that charges to air up tires either.

Responses from bike shops like what the OP stated is the reason I also go to a BMX shop and order through their catalog. The LBSs need to realize that most people prefer having good service over abundant items in stock.

sneaky viking

And another thing: If you're installing brand new pedals, you should put some grease on them. You gonna 'borrow' that too?

maximan1

Uhh, go to a different LBS?

What a stupid question.

tmh657

I go to a LBS that "can" be good.. Get to know a guy and he does stuff for free or gives you free stuff and then he's gone, damn. Then get the new guy that doesn't know you or jack about your needs. Start over and it's hit or miss for good service. Seems to be a big turnover with bike mechanics at that shop but it's quite big.
It also seems that guys that are good with people are at the counter and the "real" mechanics are in the back. The guys in front sometimes say, we will have to ask Carlos, he knows a lot more than me.
I have bought 3 bikes there in 2 years so they have some of my money.